Safety razor and blade



2 Sheets-Sheet l R. E. THOMPSON SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE Filed Nov. 20,1930 May 16, 1933.

May 16, 1933. 1 R. E. THOMPSON SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE Filed Nov. 20,1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES;

PATENT i OFFICE RALPH E. 'rnomrson, or Baooxnmn, mssecnusnr'rs, ASSIGNORTO ermlnrrn sum RAZOR comm, or BOSTON, messaonnsn'r'rs, .A CORPORATIONor .nana- WARE " SAFETY RAZOR A m) BLADE Application filed November- 20,1930. Serial No. 496,934.

This invention relates to safety razors and safety razor blades and hasfor its primary object the provision of a simplified razor and bladeconstruction. 7

In one aspect my invention more partlcularly relates to safety razors oft wherein a blade is supported and clamped between cap and guard membersby means of some form of screw thread connection or the like. The bladeis thus clamped for shaving and in order to thoroughly rinse the razorand blade following the completion of a shaving operation and prior tolaying them away, the clamping means must be released to a positionsubstantially freeingthe blade from clampin action, and ,the rinsing anddrying operations are greatly facilitated if the blade is well separatedfrom the ca and guard. In accordance with one embodlment 0 of myinvention I'provide the blade with a plurality of resilient tabsnormally extend-- ing outwardly from the opposite faces there- .of in amanner to form resilient cushions on opposite sides of the blade actingto thus automatically cushion and space the blade from the the cap andguard when released. The provision of such a blade comprises a furtherobject of my invention.

Razors of th type above referred to as heretofore commonly constructedembody some form of locating stud or studs on the cap or guard members,which studs are adapted to pass through apertures in the blade andothermember andthereby, locate all three members to proper shaving alignment.According to another aspect of my invention, I provide resilient tabs onthe blade. which normally extend outwardly from the oppositefacesthereof and I provide corresponding grooves or sockets within the bladeengaging faces of the cap and guard for receivingthese tabs. Thesetabs,-in conjunction with the centrally disposed locating hole in theblade, serve to locate the blade between the cap and guard and therebyeliminate the necessity of the above-mentioned blade locating studswhich have heretofore been provided on the cap or guard, and the tabsfurthermore also serve the cap and guard spacing function above defined.The

e type 1 therein tabs will 1 preferably be so symmetrically formed onthe blade as to fit with the blade in anyosition inthe razor. Theprovision of a sa ety razor and blade thus constructed comprises anotherobject of my invention.

In the accompanyin Y drawings I have illustrated certain speci cembodiments of my invention but it. will be understood that theinvention can be otherwise embodied, it is merely essential that thestructural features and relations shall be such as to maintain the.

the parts in spaced relation for cleansing and drying purposes. Thedrawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope beingrelied upon for that purpose.

of the invention, the claims appended hereto Referring to the figures ofthe drawings,

Fig. 1 isa perspective view of a blade con-' structed in accordance withmy invention,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a modified form of blade Fig. 3' is alongitudinal sectional view through a razor having the blade of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of another form of my improved blade andrazor; and

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the razor and blade ofFig. 5 assembled.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied toa blade of the new Gillette type. This blade 10 comprises two oppositelydisposed-cutting edges 12, and a centrally disposed locating slot 14therethrough, and is-adapted to be used in a-razor or holder having capand ard members curve the blade to a transverse position, the bladebeing transversely flexible for this purpose. When the razorv isreleased from its clamped position, the straightening of the withcooperating blade engaglng faces which, 2

.blade to. itsinormal plane shape somewhat separates the "cap and guardbut in order to more fully separate these members from the blade I formresilient tabs 16 and 18 thereon. As illustrated in Fig. 1, these tabsarestruck out from the body of the blade and two of the tabs 16 projectoutwardly beyond one face of the blade and the other two tabs 18 projectoutwardly beyond the other face thereof. Two of these tabs are alsolocated on each side ofthe transverse center line of the bla'deand twoare also located on each side of the longitudinal center line of theblade. When the tongues or tabs are stuck out of the body of the blade,as in the case herein shown, the recess formed beneath each. tongue willreceive the latter, thereby housing or partly housing the same when theblade is fully clamped in shaving position between the cap and guard.

In Figs. 3 and blade 10 in partially released position between cap andguard members 20 and 22 of a safety razor. It. will be noted that thestraightening of the blade to or toward its plane position somewhatseparates the cap and guard and that the tabs 16 and 18 act to furtherseparate these members from the blade. I desire to particularly callattention to the fact that this separating "action to the blade. Forexample. I

illustrated ,a blade similar to the blade is facilitated by the locatingof the tabs in positions between the longitudinal center line of theblade and its cutting edges, as particularly shown in Fig. 4.

While I prefer to form the tabs as an integral part of the blade, it isobvious that the same may be otherwise formed and secured in Fig. 2 Ihave 10 but having two resilient tabs 32 secured to opposite sidesthereof by spot welding at the ends 34. The two tabs are located onopposite sides of the blade and the free ends' thereof extend outwardlyfrom the blade faces in a manner like the tabs of the blade 10. It willalso be notedthatthe free ends of these two tabs are located on oppositesides of the. longitudinal center line of the blade and the free endsthereof are substantially coincident with the transverse center line ofthe blade. Such locating of the two tabs'permits them to function midwayof the blade to most efliciently perform the blade separatingoperation.'

A further modified form of the blade is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.This blade 40 has a centrally disposed locating hole '42 therethrough.and two tabs 44 are respectively formed on the center line of the bladeand respectively at opposite sides of -the hole 42 therethrough. Thesetabs are preferably blanked out of the blade body with the tabsrespectively extending outwardly at-opposite faces of the blade.Thetabs'are also preferably so located that their free ends extenyl in 4I have illustrated thisdirections away from the center hole 42.

. The tabs 44 serve the blade separating function above described inreference to the blades 10 and 30 and also serve a, blade locatingfunction now to be described. V ThlS blade 40 is particularly adaptedto. be

used in a razor or holder of the type shown to the free ends of theblade tabs 44. When the blade is placed on the cap with the stud- 56engaged through the hole 42, and only these tabs 44 extending into thegroove 58, the blade.

is thereby accurately located relatively to the cap. Theguard islikewise located by the stud engaging through the hole 62 therein and.the other blade tab engaging in the oove 60. The parts are therebaccurately located, the tabs 44 serving the ouble function of locatingthe cap and guard relative to the blade and separating the cap and guardfrom the blade when the handle 54 is released.

It will be clear that this construction consid erably simplifies thistype of razor since the '5 easily formed recesses 58 and 60 serve theblade-locating purpose heretofore requiring relatively expensivelo'catingstuds to be formed on the cap or guard.

I have described the tabs as formed inte- I grally or spot welded to theblade and herein use as a generic expression covering both forms theterm metallurgically united- It is to be observed that the tabs formedpreferably by slitted portions of the blade, in every instance serve asyieldable cushions lo- Gil cated in engagement with the cap and guardand are adapted to maintain the parts 'in amply 1s gaced relation forcleansing and dryin'g. e cushioning efl'ect prevents rattling of theparts even though the spacing isat its maximum for successful cleansingand drying. In this connection attention is also called to the fact thatthe cushioning means occupy small areas only in spaced relation from theexterior outline of the blade, which is a most desirable feature whenutilized in the cleansing and drying operations of safety razors.

.It' is further to be observed that the resilient spacing and cushioningmeans are housed in various ways in the razor or razor head, therebypermitting direct engagement of the blade by the clamping membersdirectly to glriprtheblade to clamp it in shaving position.

igs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 the resilient cushioning and spacing means arehoused partly in the blade and partly by the clamping mem-.

bers when the blade is in clamped position for shaving. In Fig. 2 thehousing of the planes defining a y the clamping members by using a curveof shorter radius on the inner surface of the cap member than on theco-operating surface of the guard member. In this manner the resilientspacing cushioning means are adequately housed while the blade isgripped directly by the clamping members to hold the blade in shavingposition.

The blade herein shown has an adjustable ,osition for shaving and aspaced position or cleansing and drying.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A safety razor blade having fiatresilient'tabs struck out from the body of the.

blade, normally extending outwardlyfrom the opposite faces thereof, andmovable into the plane of the blade said tabs extending in small acuteangle with the plane defined the blade.

2. A safety razor blade having resilient tabs struck out from the bodyof the blade, normally extending outwardly from the opposite facesthereof and capable of being sprung back into the plane of the blade andat opposite sides of the transverse center line therethro'ugh said tabsextending in planes defining a small acuteangle with the plane definedby the blade.

'3. A safety. razor blade having resilient tabsstruck out from the bodyof the blade, normall extending outwardly from the opposite aces thereofand capable of being sprung back into the plane of the blade and atopposite sides of the longitudinal center line therethrough said tabsextending in planes definin a small acute angle with the plane defined ythe blade.

4. Asafety razor comprising a cap and a cooperating guard, a bladetherebetween, resilient tabs carried by the blade andnormally extendingoutwardly from the opposite faces thereof and extending in planes at asmall acute angle to the blade, the blade engaging faces of the cap andguard being grooved to receive the tabs and thereby aiign the cap, guardand blade, and means for clamping the cap and guard on the blade. i 9 5.A safety razor comprising a cap and a cooperating guard, a studextending from the blade engaging face ofthe cap, a blade. between thecap' and guard, the guard and blade having locating holes therethrou-ghfor receiving the stud, resilient tabs struck out from the blade-andnormally extending outwardly from the opposite faces thereof, the bladeengaging faces of the cap and guard being grooved to locate the blade,byreceiving 9 the tabs thereinto, and means for clamping having locatingh'oles therethroilgh for receiving the stud, two resilient tabs struckout from the body of theblade along the longitudinal center linetherethrough and. at opposite sides of the said hole therein, the tabsbeing connected to the blade at the ends adja- 7 cent to the hole andhaving their outer, ends respectively extending outwardly from theopposite faces of the blade, the blade engaging faces of the cap andguard being grooved to locate the blade by receiving the tabs thereinto,and means for clamping the cap and guard inblade holding position.

7. A safety razor blade: adapted to be clamped between cap and guardmembers, each member'having' recesses in its body located in opposedclamping portions thereof and spring tongues extending flatwise out of.the plane of the blade on opposite sides thereof and in registrationwith said recesses.

8. A safety razor comprising cooperating cap and guard members adaptedto clamp a flexible blade-between them, and a blade having resilient.tongues extendingnormally out of the blade on opposite sides inflatwise relation thereto, and being adapted to engage the cap and guardmelnbers and space the blade from both members when the latter areseparated, wherebythe cap, blade and guard may be resiliently retainedinspaced' relation forrinsing'or cleansing.

9. A safety razor head including a cap, guard and an interposed blade,said blade being slitted toform in said blade resilient tonguescomprising cushioning means, means on said cap and guard 1n engagementwith .said tonguesto maintainsaid blade in spaced relation from the capand guard whereby the cleansing and drying operations of said razor'head may be facilitated, and means to draw said cap and guard togetheragainst there silience of said tongues to blade in shaving position.

10. A yieldably and resiliently cushioned razor blade having aligningmeans and a plurality of portions forming raised resilient repressiblecushions located on opposite sides of the blade and the aligning meansthereof, said portions being also located in relatively widely spacedrelation both longitudinally and transversely with respect to eachother,

grip and hold said whereby the blade may be yieldably and resilientlyclamped in a razor blade holder either in spaced or shaving position.

- 11. A yieldably and resiliently cushioned razor blade havingcushioning meanscomprising yieldable resihent ralsed depressibleportions having free ends located in s aced,

positioned in a razor blade holder in spaced cleansing position orgripped 1n clamped position for shaving.

12. A yieldably and resiliently cushioned razor blade having aligningmeans and a plurality of tabs located on opposite sides of the blade andits aligning means, said tabs forming raised resilient yieldabledepressible cushions located in spaced relation from the exterioroutline of-the' blade and in widely spaced relation from each other bothlongitudinally and transversely.

13. A razor blade having raised depressible resilient cushioning meansof limited extent on opposite sides of the blade and located inlongitudinally spaced relation to cachother and to the exterior outlineof the blade, whereby the blade may be supported in spaced relation forcleansing or gripped in clamped position for shaving substantially asdescribed.

14. A safety razor blade having slitted lon-. gitudinal portions havingfree'ends located in spaced relationlongitudinally inside of theexterior outline of the blade, said por tions being on opposite sides ofthe blade, said portions being resilient and extending to raisedpositions at their free ends at an acute angle to the plane of theblade, said free end portions being readily and freely depressible.

15. A safety razor blade having cushioning means secured thereto andlocatedon opposite sides of the blade in spaced relation hers to engagethe blade directly on opposite sides thereof to maintain the blade inshaving position, resilient depressible cushions located and sup ortedbetween the cap and blade and also etween the guard and blade wherebythe blade may be supported by said cushions in spaced cleansing anddrying relation with reference to said members, said cushions beinreadily depressible and located in longitu inally spaced relation toeach other and means in said razor head to house said cushions in aposition remote from the shaving edges of the razor blade.

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 17th day of November, 1930. I

RALPH E. THOMPSON.

raised readily depressible free ends, whereby the blade may be supportedin either spaced cleansing relation or gripped in clamped position in aholder for shaving substantially as described.

16. A safety razor head including cap and i l guard members and aninterposed blade, said head having aligning means, a plurality ofresilient depressible cushlonmg' and spacing means composed'of hardmater al of substantially uniform thickness, located between the 7 capand' blade and also between the guard and blade, said means occupyingsmall areas only in spaced relation from the aligning means and spacedrelation from the exterior outline of said razor head, whereby the cap,bladeand guard may be supported in spaced relation for cleansing anddrying purposes, means in said razor head for housing said cushioningmeans when in depressed condition,.n1cans to draw the razor head partstogether and means to engage the blade directly and in spaced relationfrom the spacing means whereby the blade may be gripped and maintainedin shaving position substantially as described.

17. A safety razor headhwing a transversely curved cap member and acoacting guard member and an interposed flexible blade having shavingedges, means to draw said members together, means on said mem

